I 



BULLETIN OF Till: UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 4<»;i 



crowding the seine to such an extent that it became necessary to allow 

 these fish to escape, as there was no way of taking care of them. 



The hatching house had been placed in order for the reception of 

 shad eggs, and on the 21st of April the first instalment of eggs was re- 

 ceived. From this time until the close of the season, June 11, eggs 

 * were taken daily from the fish captured in the seine and from the floats 

 and gillers operating in the neighborhood. It will be seen by reference 

 to the accompanying tables of operations that the yield of eggs from 

 the seine was 1,253,000, and from the gillers and other sources 12,104,000, 

 making a total of 13,357,000. Of this number there was an aggregate 

 loss of 3,005,000, thus leaving as fish hatched 10,292,000. This number 

 was augmented from outside sources by 433,000, as will be shown by an 

 examination of the table of hatching operations. With this addition 

 the number of shad produced was 10,725,000, which were about evenly 

 distributed between the waters about the station and streams in other 

 localities and States. The accompanying table of distribution will 

 show each deposit. 



During the season reports were received that large numbers of ripe 

 shad were being captured on the eastern side of the bay by the gillers 

 operating in that neighborhood between Carpenter's and Turkey Points. 

 A portion of the force was sent out to attend these fishermen as far as 

 practicable, but the distance was so great and the time of lifting the 

 nets so inconvenient that it was found impossible to work this neighbor- 

 hood as thoroughly as was desired. 



Accordingly, under orders from the assistant commissioner, the 

 steamer Lookout arrived at the station on May 13, for the purpose of 

 gathering eggs from this locality. She left the station each night, car- 

 rying two expert spawn-takers and an extra boat, and returned next 

 morning. The eggs which could not be accommodated in the equip- 

 ment of the vessel were then transferred to the station. This work was 

 continued until May 17, when, with Assistant Commissioner Ferguson 

 on board, the Lookout left for a visit of inspection of the Delaware River, 

 where it was reported shad were being caught in great abundance. 

 The vessel returned to the station on the 20th, after a very successful 

 trip, having obtained in the short time there nearly 2,000,000 eggs, 

 only a portion of which, however, was transferred to the hatching house 

 at this station. After the return of the steamer the nightly trips to the 

 eastern shore were resumed and continued until May 27, when the 

 vessel again left for the Delaware River, taking an expert spawn-taker. 



In all cases when the steamer transferred eggs to Battery Station 

 due credit was given for the number, and a careful reference to the 

 table of hatching operations will show that during the season the sta- 

 tion received from the vessel 2,087,000 eggs, and 433,000 young shad. 



The work on the Delaware proving so successful, the Commissioner 

 ordered Launch IS o. 82, on duty at this station, to proceed to that locality 



